Well drilling string measuring apparatus



1963 M M MATCHETT 3,107,431

WELL DRILLING s'mms msunmc APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

MOA/AO/V M. Mfi/Yl/[ZT 627 Q Oct. 22, 1963 M. M. MATCHETT WELL DRILLING STRING MEASURING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27. 1960 Oct. 22, 1963 M. M. MATCHETT 3,107,431

WELL DRILLING STRING MEASURING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. MflA AO/V M Mora/77 (Q10. (aw

United States Patent 3,107,431 WELL DRILLH'JG STRING MEASURING APPARATUS Mahlon M. Matchett, Lakewood, Calif, assignor to Martin-Decker Corporation, Long Beach, Calif, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 78,504 9 Claims. ((31. 33129) The present invention relates to a well drilling string measuring apparatus and more particularly to apparatus adapted to afford certain information with respect to the drill pipe conventionally employed in the rotary method of drilling wells.

As is well known in the art of rotary drilling of oil and gas Wells, the drill string or drill stem is composed of a number of lengths of pipe which at their ends are connected to a square Kelly driven by means of a rotary table so as to transmit rotation to the bit at the lower end of the drill string. The drill string is periodically elevated by means of a hook supported by a traveling block which is in turn suspended by a wire cable which extends about a crown block at the top of the derrick and has a so-called fast line leading from the top of the derrick to the draw works or winch located adjacent the rotary table. Such periodic raising of the drill stem is occasioned by the need for insertion of an additional length of drill pipe between the upper end of the drill pipe and the square Kelly which is driven by the rotary table during the drilling operation.

Additionally, the drilling string is elevated and joint-byjoint removed from the well when it is necessary to replace a drilling bit or to perform certain types of well logging or treating operations.

During the drilling of the well it is desirable that certain information with respect to the drill stem be maintained. For example, the length of the drill stem disposed in the well bore is employed as an indication of the depth of the well. Inasmuch as the drill pipe is made up jointby-joint and frequently completely removed from the well and then reinserted, relatively accurate measurements of each length of drill pipe are generally resorted to and recorded for purposes of indicating the total length of the drill pipe extending from the bottom of the well to the top thereof. In addition, the rate of penetration of the drill bit, i.e., the rate of downward movement of the drill string, is information which affords an indication to the drilling crew of bit condition, formation condition, adequacy of weight on the bit, all of which information is helpful to the driller in maintaining to the extent possible, an optimum balance of weight on the bit in relation to formation and bit conditions. Heretofore, various devices have been provided for affording the foregoing information relative to the drilling string, but such prior devices have been relatively complex insofar as installation and maintenance are concerned, and have included the use of measuring reels driven by piano wires connected to the traveling block and extended through pulleys located at the crown of the derrick, with consequent potential danger to the drilling crew, as well as relatively complex power takeolfs.

In view of the foregoing, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a simple readily installed means for determining information from the drilling string as a function of longitudinal movement of the string in the well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforementioned which derives information as to the drilling string from the fast line leading from the draw works to the crown block at a point adjacent the draw works where vibratory motion of the drilling apparatus is perhaps least violent.

In accordance with the preceding objectives the invention contemplates disposing a frame adjacent the draw works for movement toward and away from the fast line, the frame supporting a revolvable member or roller which is engageable with the fast line so as to be frictionally driven thereby, as a result of which appropriate registering or indicating means may be driven so as to indicate the aforementioned drill string conditions such as rate of penetration, total depth of the hole drilled, and/or total length of drill string disposed in the hole, all responsive to the linear movement of the fast line.

In accordance with another and more specific objective of the invention, the roller frame is automatically shifted away from the fast line upon movement of the latter in one linear direction. In this connection it is contemplated that, for example, the roller may be driven as the fast line is played off of the draw works so as to pass over the crown block and permit downward movement of the drill string to enable the registering or recording of information indicative of drill string conditions such as rate of penetration or total length or both. On the other hand, the frame may be automatically shifted away from the fast line so as to prevent engagement of the roller with the fast line as the latter is being rewound upon the draw works drum as when the drill string is being elevated to enable the insertion of another joint of dnill pipe between the uppermost joint of drill pipe and the Kelly or as when the drill string is being removed from the well for the purpose of changing bits or enabling various well services to be performed as may be required from time to time.

Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a roller mechanism engageable with the fast line of a well drilling rig wherein the roller is normally engaged with the fast line but is shifted automatically away from the fast line upon movement of the fast line, with consequent revolution of the roller at a higher rate than would normally occur during drilling, such as when the drill string is being pulled from the well for adding joints or to replace bits.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a drilling rig draw works with the apparatus of the invention applied thereto and with the roller engaged with the fast line for rotation responsive to linear movement of the fast line;

FIG. 2 is a view partly in side elevation with certain of the parts broken away and shown in section with the apparatus of the invention engaged with the fast line;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the roller supporting frame at one end of the roller and particularly illustrating the centrifugal control mechanism and frame shifting control valve;

FIG. 4 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 2 but illustrating the apparatus in a position shifted out of enbrackets 3 appropriately mounted upon a housing or cover 4 of a draw works generally denoted at 5. It will be noted that the brackets 3 are spaced so that the frame 1 is disposed so as to span the draw works cover 4 in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the draw works drum which is denoted at 6. The frame 1 is preferably adjustable so as to be applicable to draw works covers of various rigs and in the illustrative embodiment includes a pair of legs 77 having base members 8 of T-section and header supporting members 9 which are also illustrated as being of T-section. The members 8 and 9 are adjustably interconnected so as to be extensible to various lengths as by means of a plurality of fasteners 10 selectively engageable in a plurality of fastener receiving openings 11 in the leg members 8 and 9. The header supporting members 9 of the legs have right angularly disposed sections 12 on which is supported a header 13. Header 13 is provided with a plurality of fastener receiving openings 14 for the reception of fasteners 15 so that the sections 12 of header supporting members 9 are adjustably connectable to the legs 8 as may be required for different rig installations. In addition, the frame -1 is preferably braced by appropriate means such as crossed struts 1a.

Brackets 15 are provided at the opposite extremities of the header 13 and mounted upon these brackets are bearing blocks 17 in which a roller shaft 18 is journalled adjacent its opposite ends. Mounted upon the shaft 18 is a roller 20 which is preferably composed of resilient material such as rubber or neoprene so that rotation of the roller 20 will be imparted to the shaft 18.

At the right hand end of the shaft 18, as viewed in FIG. 1 and as more particularly illustrated in FIG. 5, is a drive mechanism enclosed within a housing 21. The housing 21 is supported on a vertical frame member 22 extending parallel to the right hand leg of the frame 1 and mounted on a bracket 23 adjacent the base of the frame and on the bracket 16 at the outer extremity of the header 13. This drive mechanism as seen in FIG. 5 comprises a sprocket 25 on the end of shaft 18 which drives a chain 26 disposed within the housing 21 and drivingly engaged with a sprocket 27 at the lower end of the housing. The sprocket 27 is journalled on a stub shaft 28 disposed in a bearing assembly 29 carried at the lower end of the frame member 22 just referred to. Projecting through an opening 30 in the housing 21 is a shaft 31 rotatable with the sprocket 27. This shaft 31 is adapted to receive a flexible drive member 32 leading to a gear box 33. Leading from the gear box 33 is a flexible drive member 34, this drive member 34 leading into an appropriate indicator or recording device designated R.

It will be understood that the gear box 33 may be of any appropriate type and its function is to drive the flexible drive member 34 at a rate which is proportional to the length of drill pipe represented by a single revolution of the roller 20 responsive to linear movement of the fast line F as the drill string moves longitudinally, and more specifically, into the well bore as during a drilling operation. If desired, the gear box 33 may be provided with gearing having a variable drive ratio so as to compensate for the number of loops in the line between the traveling block and crown block of the drilling rig, as is well recognized in the art.

In any event, the invention contemplates that the indicator or recorder R will be operated responsive to revolution of roller 20 as an indication of a drill string condition such as the rate of penetration of the drill string into the earth, for example, instantaneously in feet per unit time. In addition it will be understood that the unit R may, in addition to drilling rate, record the depth of the well bore, as a function of measurement of the length of the drill pipe extending into the well bore, and/or the length of drill pipe disposed in the well bore, even though the total length of the drill string be less than the depth of the well bore, as when the drill string is being run back into the well following changing of the drill bit or the removal of the drill string from the bore for other purposes such as subsurface well treatments, logging, cementing and the like.

It will now be recognized that the pivotally mounted inverted U-frame 1 provides means shiftably mounted adjacent the fast line F for effecting engagement with the latter of the roller 20 as a result of which longitudinal movement of the fast line will be translated to information indicative of a drill string condition which is measurable as a result of longitudinal movement of the drill string, as represented by the line fragment designated F in FIGS. 2 and 4.

In the embodiment of the invention as herein illustrated, means are provided whereby the roller 20 is effective to drive the indicating or recording device R responsive only to unidirectional roller rotation, i.e., the roller 20 is not effective to drive the indicating or recording device R when the fast line F is being rewound upon the drum 6, as when the drill string is being elevated from the well for the purpose of enabling the insertion of an additional joint of drill pipe between the Kelly and the upper end of the drill string, or when the entire drill string is being removed from the well to enable replacement of a bit or to enable other subsurface operations.

In this connection, an arm 35 projects from one end of the frame 1 and is connected at its outer end to a fluid pressure operated actuator device generally denoted at 36, including a cylinder 37 pivotally mounted at one end on a bracket 37' which is supported upon the draw works cover 4. Extending from the cylinder 37 is an actuator rod 38 connected at 39 to the arm 35 just referred to. A fluid supply and exhaust line 40 leads to the lower end of the cylinder 37 through a control valve generally designated V. This control valve is supported upon the frame 1 as by means of a mounting plate 41 which is vertically disposed at the left hand end of the header 13 as viewed in FIG. 1. As will be hereinafter more particularly described, the valve V is controlled by a motion responsive means which in the illustrative embodiment comprises a centrifugally operated valve actuator generally designated 42 While any appropriate multiway valve may be employed within the purview of the invention, it is preferred that a valve that will normally allow the flow of fluid to the actuator 36 and close exhaust of the same to atmosphere, be employed.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, the illustrative valve V includes a body 45 mounted upon the plate 41 as by a mounting bracket 46. The valve body 45 has a bore 47 therethrough in which is shiftably disposed a valve spool 48 having a reduced diameter section 49 intermediate its ends. The spool 48 extends through the opposite ends of an internal valve cage 50 having sealing means 51 at its opposite ends sealingly engageable with the valve spool at opposite ends of the reduced diameter section 49, alternately as the valve spool is shifted from the position shown in FIG. 2. On the upper end of the spool 48 there is appropriately mounted as by means of a screw fastener 52 a valve actuator cap 53 and a spring seat 54. A coiled compression spring 55 extends about the body 45 and engages the spring seat 54 so as to normally bias the valve spool 48 to the position shown in FIG. 4 where the lower end of the spool 48 is sealed in the end of the internal cage 50 to close the exhaust passage, while the reduced diameter section 49 of the spool is disposed within the seal at the upper end of the valve cage 50 so as to allow fluid under pressure to pass from an inlet port 56 in the valve body 45 through the space provided by the reduced diameter section 49 of the valve spool, through the cage 50 and thence through a port 56' leading to the conduit 40. With the valve spool in this position, fluid under pressure is admitted to the actuator 36, whereas when the valve spool 45 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, fluid will be exhausted from the actuator 36, through port 56 and thence between reduced spool section 49 and the seal at the lower end of cage 50.

Valve spool 48 is maintained in the position shown in FIG. 2 while the roller 20 is engaged with the fast line F. Referring to FIG. 3, the valve supporting plate 41 is provided with outstanding ears 41' between which is pivotally disposed a latch lever 57, this lever being fulcrummed on a pin 58 and having an arm 59 extending longitudinally of the plate 41 and provided with a shoulder 60 engageable as shown in FIG. 3 with the outer extremity of the valve actuator cap 53. A spring 61 is preferably interposed between the latch lever arm 59 and plate 41 so as to normally bias the lever to a valve latching position.

In addition, the lever 57 is provided with an arm 62 at the outer end of which is a connector 63 for the end of a lever operating pull 64 which facilitates manual release of the lever arm 59 from engagement with the valve actuator cap 53. At the opposite end of the valve spool 48 from the actuator cap 53 the spool is provided with a connector 65 to which is connected the end of a second pull 66 so that the valve spool 48 may be readily manually shifted to the position shown in FIG. 2 so as to enable retraction of the actuator 36.

As previously mentioned, roller motion responsive means generally designated 42 are provided for controlling the effective operation of the roller 20* insofar as its translation of information to the indicator or recording instrument is concerned. In the illustrative embodiment this motion responsive means 42 comprises a rotor 67 mounted upon the shaft 18 for rotation therewith responsive to longitudinal movement of the fast line F. The rotor 67 is diametrically bored as at 68 and a bushing 69 is disposed in a counterbore 70, the bushing also being bored as at 71 for the reception of a plunger head 72. This plunger head is transversely slotted as at 73 and a pin 74 carried by the bushing extends through the slot so as to limit projection of the plunger head 72 outwardly of the bore 71. Extending longitudinally of the bore 68 from the inner end of the plunger head 72 is a pin 75. Extending about the pin 75 is a pair of coiled springs 76 constituting means for norm-ally resiliently maintaining the pluger head 72 in a retracted position as shown in FIG. 2. The springs 76 are retained on the pin 75 by means such as a retainer nut 77, this nut also enabling adjustment of the springs 76 so as to vary their effect upon the plunger head 72, that is, so as to variably resist outward projection of the plunger head 72 resulting from centrifugal action as the roller 20 rotates. The outer end of the plunger head 72 converges to form a nose 78 which, when the plunger head 72 is projected, is engageable with a striker 79 having opposed convergent surfaces, the striker being suit-ably supported at the outer end of valve latch lever arm 62 and disposed in the path of the plunger head 72.

In the operation of the device described above and assuming the frame 1 to be in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the roller 20 is frictionally engaged with the fast line F, longitudinal movement of the fast line will induce rotation of the roller 20. With the fast line F being played from the draw works drum 6, as during the drilling of an oil or gas well for example, the rate of travel of the fast line and consequently the rate of rotation of the roller 20 will be directly related to the rate of downward movement of the well drilling string or drill pipe, that is to say, the fast line F will effect rotation of the roller 20 at a rate which may be translated into an indication or recording of the rate of penetration of the drill bit. Rotation of the roller 20 is effective to drive sprocket 25 on one end of shaft 18 which in turn, through drive chain 26, will drive sprocket 27. The flexible drive members 32 and 34 are driven by the sprocket 27 to effect operation of the recording or indicating device R under the control of the gear box 33. It will be understood that inasmuch as the roller 20 rotates in a manner related to longitudinal movement of the drill pipe, the indicating or recording device R may readily be employed to not only indicate rate of bit penetration, but also the depth of the well bore or the length of the drill pipe disposed in the Well bore even though the bit be spaced upwardly from the bottom of the well bore, all such information being useful to the driller as pointed out in the foregoing.

In the case of the illustrative embodiment, when the drill string is being removed from the well for the purpose of replacing a worn bit or for the purpose of adding a joint of pipe between the Kelly and the drill pipe, the drill string is elevated at a rate significantly greater than the rate of penetration during drilling. Accordingly, under these circumstances, the centrifugal force acting on the plunger head 72 of the motion responsive means 42 will cause projection of the plunger head 72 to the extent that it will engage the striker 79 on valve latch lever 57, thus rocking the lever about its fulcrum 58 and disengaging the latch shoulder 60 from the valve actuator head 53. Thus, the valve spring 55 will shift the valve spool 48 from the position shown in FIG. 2 wherein the valve prevents the passage of pressure fluid to the actuator 36 and exhausts the latter to atmosphere, to the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the valve spool is in a position such that the exhaust passage is closed and the pressure fluid will pass through the valve into conduit 40 and thence into the actuator 36 so as to cause extension of the latter. As a result, the frame 1 will be rocked about its pivotal mountings 2 from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the roller 20 engages the fast line, to the position shown in FIG. 4 Where the roller 20 is spaced from the fast line F.

When the drill string is to be again lowered in the well bore, the valve spool 48 is shifted to the position shown in FIG. 2 by pulling the pull 66 attached to the lower end of the valve spool. The latch lever 57 will automatically engage with the valve spool cap 53 to hold the valve spool 43 in the position shown in FIG. 2. It will be recognized from the foregoing that the obectrves stated at the commencement hereof are readily and conveniently accomplished by the present invention and that changes and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined 1n the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for indicating information relative to the movement of a well drilling string longitudinally within a well bore responsive to movement of the drill string by a line leading from a draw Works drum and suspending the drill string from the top of a derrick, comprising: supporting means adapted to be mounted adjacent the draw works drum; a rotatable element carried by said supporting means and engageable with the line leading from said drum for rotation of the rotatable element responsive to longitudinal movement of said line; means driven by said rotatable element for indicating information indicative of longitudinal movement of the drill string; and means for shifting the said supporting means away from said line responsive to rotation of said rotatable element upon longitudinal movement of said line in one direction.

2. Apparatus of the class described including, in combination: a draw works for a well drilling rig; said draw works including a drum having a line wound thereon and extending upwardly from the drum; a supporting member mounted on said draw Works adjacent said upwardly extended line; said supporting member having means rotatably mounted thereon and engageable with said upwardly extending line so as to be rotated thereby; means responsive to rotation of said rotatable means for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of I the well drilling string responsive to longitudinal move ment of said upwardly extending line; and means for shifting said supporting member away from said line responsive to rotation of said rotatable element upon longitudinal movement of said line in one direction.

3. Apparatus for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of a well drilling string suspended in a derrick by a line leading from a draw works, comprising: a support disposed adjacent said line; a rotatable member carried by said support; means driven by said rotatable member for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of said drill string; means shiftably mounting said support; fluid pressure operated actuator means connected to said support for shifting said support away from said line; and valve means for admitting fluid pressure to said actuator means upon rotation of said rotable member in one direction.

4. Apparatus for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of a well drilling string suspended in a derrick by a line leading from a draw works, comprising: a support disposed adjacent said line; a rotatable member carried by said support; means driven by said rotatable member for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of said drill string; means shiftably mounting said support; fluid pressure operated actuator means connected to said support for shifting said support away from said line; and valve means for admitting fluid pressure to said actuator means upon rotation of said rotatable member in one direction; said rotatable member having means driven thereby and responsive to centrifugal force for operating said valve means.

5. Apparatus for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of a well drilling string suspended in a derrick by a line leading from a draw works, comprising: a support disposed adjacent said line; a rotatable member carried by said support; means driven by said rotatable member for indicating information relative to longitudinal movement of said drill string; means shiftably mounting said support; fluid pressure operated actuator means connected to said support for shifting said support away from said line; valve means for admitting fluid pressure to said actuator means upon rotation of said rotatable member in one direction; said rotatable member having means driven thereby and responsive to centrifugal force for operating said valve means; and means for operating said valve means to exhaust fluid from said actuator means to allow movement of said support in a direction toward said line.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising: a supporting frame; a roller mounted on said frame; means supporting said frame for movement toward and away from a line so as to enable engagement of said line by said roller; fluid pressure operated actuator means connected to said frame and operable to shift said frame away from said line; valve means carried by said frame including a shiftable valve member for enabling the flow of fluid under pressure to said actuator means when said valve member is in one position and for exhausting pressure fluid from said actuator means when said valve member is in a second position; means for holding said valve member in said second position; and means responsive to rotation of said roller for effecting release of said holding means.

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising: a supporting frame; a roller mounted on said frame; means supporting said frame for movement toward and away from a line so as to enable engagement of said line by said roller; fluid pressure operated actuator means connected to said frame and operable to shift said frame away from said line; valve means carried by said frame including a shiftable valve member for enabling the flow of fluid under pressure to said actuator means when said valve member is in one position and for exhausting pressure fluid from said actuator means when said valve member is in a second position; means for holding said valve member in said second position; and centrifugally operated means carried by said roller for releasing said holding means upon rotation of said roller.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said centrifugally operated means includes a rotor; a member carried by said rotor and having a portion extending radially of said rotor; and means normally retaining said portion in a position such that said portion is incapable of releasing said holding means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said centrifugally operated means includes a rotor; a member carried by said rotor and having a portion extending radially of said rotor; means normally retaining said portion in a position such that said portion is incapable of releasing said holding means; and means for adjusting said retaining means whereby said portion is projectable radially from said rotor responsive to centrifugal force of different magnitudes.

Hayward Aug. 10, 1943 Crookston Jan. 15, 1952 

2. APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCIRBED INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION: A DRAW WORKS FOR A WELL DRILLING RIG; SAID DRAW WORKS INCLUDING A DRUM HAVING A LINE WOUND THEREON AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE DRUM; A SUPPORTING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID DRAW WORKS ADJACENT SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDED LINE; SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER HAVING MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREON AND ENGAGABLE WITH SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING LINE SO AS TO BE ROTATED THEREBY; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE MEANS FOR INDICATING INFORMATION RELATIVE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE WELL DRILLING STRING RESPONSIVE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING LINE; AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AWAY FROM SAID LINE RESPONSIVE TO ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE ELEMENT UPON LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LINE IN ONE DIRECTION. 